


The Witch Canary

by roryteller



Category: Birds of Prey (Comic), DCU - Comicverse, Superman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-14
Updated: 2012-10-17
Packaged: 2017-11-16 06:44:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/536624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roryteller/pseuds/roryteller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Two years after accepting Lady Shiva's offer of training, Black Canary regrets leaving her life with the Birds of Prey. Lady Shiva sends her to Metropolis with a package for Oracle. When Oracle is kidnapped by the Joker and Harley Quinn, Black Canary has to save her. No actual sexual content, but partial (non-explicit) flashbacks in Chapter 2 to the Joker's attack on Barbara Gordon might be triggery to some rape and assault survivors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Message

**Author's Note:**

> My Harley Quinn is more or less BTAS/Harley and Ivy/Gotham Girls Harley. This fic was inspired by the fantasy sequence in Birds of Prey 65. Like A Stone-Cold Caper, this is an older fic (circa 2007) that I hadn't posted.

"She used to be just a woman. Then a goddess of death offered to make her her apprentice. Now no one know what she is. But they call her the Witch Canary." - Birds of Prey 65

* * *

It had been two years since Black Canary had accepted Lady Shiva's offer. She'd since had occasion to regret it. But the one thing... no, the one person she missed the most was her former employer and friend, Oracle. For more than a year, the comforting voice of Barbara Gordon had gotten her out of every bind. Her friend had even given her a second chance to run her own flower shop.

And she'd thrown it all away. After she had left the States to train with Lady Shiva, Dinah had sent a letter back to Barbara which explained her departure. Her friend had sent only the briefest of replies and had cut off all communication afterwards. She'd lost her ties with the JLA and the JSA. Even Wonder Woman wasn't returning her calls.

That was well enough. After all, she wasn't their type of person anymore.

Black Canary donned the black cloak she wore when she went out on patrol. She still kept that habit, at least.

She took out her frustrations on a pair of drunks she'd caught trying to molest a young girl near the docks. She didn't understand much Vietnamese, but she supposed they were begging for mercy. She didn't give it to them. At least, not until a strong hand grabbed her arm.

"Put your rage away, Little Bird."

She looked behind her, needlessly. The only person who would know to say that to her was Lady Shiva. She'd said much the same thing to Lady Shiva herself once. In another life.

She turned to Lady Shiva, who was wearing her favorite colors -- red and black -- as usual. Low-key today, though... a red shirt and black slacks. But she looked good no matter what she wore.

"Why'd you stop me, Lady Shiva?" she asked. She heard footsteps behind her as the two drunks behind her picked themselves up and ran away.

"We don't have time for this. Besides," and Lady Shiva glanced in the direction of the two men's flight, "as you once told me, they're not worth it. Pick your battles. Why do you fight them?"

She turned as she spoke, leading Dinah along the messy, fishy docks to an unknown destination. As they walked, Lady Shiva stepped over bits of refuse. Black Canary kicked them aside.

"You see," said Lady Shiva, gesturing to a rock that rolled in front of her, "that's the difference between you and me, Little Bird. You waste your time on small nuisances like these. I think of the bigger picture." She turned around and stopped walking. "And for the last few days you've been striking out randomly. I appreciate your capacity for violence, but you're wasting your energy. It's inefficient."

"Funny," said Black Canary, "for a moment I thought I had taught you something, Paper Monkey." She grimaced.

"Little Bird, control yourself. If you do not, I cannot teach you anything. Why do you waste your time like this?"

"I am afraid of what you will teach me." She tried to let Lady Shiva see that, so that she would not ask for more.

Lady Shiva pushed that aside with a motion of her hand. "You have always been afraid. There must be something more."

"It's been two years." said Dinah. _Two years since I came here and threw my old life away._  


"I see," said Lady Shiva, and her voice was cold, businesslike. She started moving again. "Then perhaps you will appreciate your next mission. I need you to go to Metropolis."

Dinah shivered. Metropolis had its dangers (a notoriously high concentration of super-powered villains for one), but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Metropolis was also the new home of Oracle and whoever was currently working for her. That meant Huntress, at least, whose relationship with Black Canary had always been rocky at best. But it was Oracle she dreaded and to see. Yearned to see.

Lady Shiva took a sharp right, and Black Canary soon recognized the route they were taking as the one back to their base of operations. It wasn't in a nice part of town, but that was little concern. Black Canary only minded it because it was smelly. They walked into a darkened room. Most of the space was occupied with training mats and other equipment. A desktop computer sat in one corner, but it was covered with dust. Lady Shiva fetched a small wooden cube from the desk it sat on. It was made of wood, but painted, and Dinah couldn't see any joints, at least not in the shadows. She turned on the lights to see Lady Shiva standing in one corner, looking at her steadily.

"It's a puzzle box," she explained. "Deliver it to Oracle."

"You couldn't trust it to the mail?"

"No." There was no room for contradiction in that response.

Black Canary sighed, taking the box. The next day she would be on a flight to the United States. But in the meantime, she had to say her farewells. She bowed to her sensei and got packed. When she left, Lady Shiva was in the middle of a workout, and didn't turn to say farewell. So she left without any fanfare, just as she had left Barbara.

* * *

When she arrived in Metropolis, after a cab ride from the airport and a quick stop at her hotel, the first order of business was to find Oracle. She didn't know where exactly Oracle was headquartered, but she knew how to contact her. Oracle had given her the information just in case, but she'd never used it, because it meant using a computer. She hated computers.

Still. It couldn't be that hard. Oracle did it all the time. Then again, she was a genius. Black Canary was sure of it. She located an internet cafe, reluctantly paying in advance, and sat down in front of one of the computers. She swallowed noisily, becoming aware that she was attracting attention from the people around her, even in ordinary clothes, and mentally ran through the steps that Oracle had made her memorize. It took her a couple of tries, but she managed to send Oracle a message. Oracle replied.

Oracle: Black Canary at a computer? I would never have believed it.

Dinah shook her head. Barbara was the same as ever.

Black Canary: Cut the crap, Oracle. I need to give you something.

Oracle: My, you're testy today. Fine. There's a little eatery on 17th Street...

Black Canary: I know the one. See you there.

It wasn't really an eatery on 17th Street, but rather a code they used to refer to a less conspicuous location, a little pho place in a completely different part of the city.

* * *

Black Canary arrived at the designated location, and looked around for Oracle. Black Canary wasn't wearing her trademark fishnet stockings, of course, nor the shiny black leotard she often wore along with them. Rather she wore a more subdued outfit of khakis, one of the low-cut shirts she was so fond of, along with a long jacket. Oracle wasn't there yet.

Black Canary sat down at a table, patting the little box in her pocket to make sure it was still there. She was absorbed in the menu when she heard a throat clearing in front of her. She looked up to see her old friend across from her. She looked a little the worse for wear, lines of stress visible in her forehead. But she smiled as one would when meeting an old friend, and reached across the table to touch Dinah's hand, her hand resting, warm and gentle, on top of Dinah's. That simple human contact was almost enough to bring Dinah to tears.

"So," said Barbara Gordon, "You missed me."

Dinah considered denying it, but nodded and said, "Of course I did. You're the best friend I've had in a long time."

Barbara gave Dinah a long look, as though she realized there was more to say, but finished by turning to inspect the menu herself.

"I believe the spring rolls are good here."

Dinah breathed a near-silent sigh of relief that her friend had moved to more comfortable ground. Sometimes she could be damnably perceptive.

"So I hear, but I'm more of a soup person myself. As long as it's not too spicy."

"I'd think you'd be used to it by now." said Barbara.

"Touché. I'm almost sick of it, really."

It was so inane, filling the air with meaningless pleasantries and things that didn't have to be said. Both of them were dancing around the important issues, and both of them knew it. Black Canary had known that the trip would test her resolve. She wanted to return, but her training with Lady Shiva would help more in the long run than teaming up with Oracle again. That was what mattered, wasn't it?

Black Canary watched her friend. For a nerd who spent almost all her time cooped up inside in front of the unnatural glow of her computers, Barbara looked pretty good. Even hot. And it looked like she'd been keeping up her training, her arms as muscled as ever. Dinah wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end of one of Barbara's punches.

But at the same time, she'd always had her doubts. Barbara had been scarred in the fight that ended her career as Batgirl, scars that went beyond the bullet through her spine. And though Barbara was good at holding it all in, Dinah had gotten to the point where she could see through it, a bit. And she was sure Barbara had missed her too. She longed to pour out her feelings but somehow she didn't quite dare.

Once they had ordered their pho, Dinah passed the puzzle box to Barbara, saying,

"From Lady Shiva."

"What is it?"

"A puzzle box. I don't know what's inside."

Barbara nodded slowly, her attention already focused on the little box. "I've done these before. But this one looks well-made."

She was still turning it over in her hands, running her fingers over it -- looking for the joins in the wood, Dinah supposed, when the food arrived, in two large, steaming bowls. Barbara set the box aside and dug in, using her chopsticks with a grace that still eluded Dinah, though she was no beginner.

"Any progress?"

"A little. I'll be able to solve it, just not yet." She gave Dinah a hard look. "If Lady Shiva meant for you to know what was in it, I'm sure she'd have told you herself."

Dinah looked down into her soup and kept struggling with the slippery noodles.

Barbara cleared her throat after a minute or two. "Was the box your only reason to come back to the States?"

"Well... yes and no." Dinah shifted in her seat, a grayish one with cushion on top of a metal frame. "I wanted to see you, yes, but it was always..."

"Awkward?" Barbara raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, awkward. Because I knew you didn't approve of what I'd done. That's why I didn't come back earlier."

Barbara lifted her chopsticks from her soup and set them aside, folding her hands on top of the glass-covered table.

"You're right, I don't approve. Heaven knows I haven't always stuck to the straight and narrow, or even made the right decisions myself, but Dinah... we don't consort with killers. Not unless it's absolutely necessary."

"That's not really true."

Barbara sighed, looking down at her placemat. "Well, we don't work with people who are still killers. But truthfully," she said, looking into Dinah's eyes, "part of it is just selfishness. I didn't want you to leave." She picked up her chopsticks again.

That was kind of gratifying, reflected Dinah, even in the past tense. "Well," she said, testing the waters a little. "I am going to be in town for several days at least. Lady Shiva told me -- ordered me actually -- to take some time off. It's been rough lately." Dinah sighed. She buried her face in her hands.

Barbara swallowed. "Well, I'd say you brought it on yourself -- and you did -- but if you need to talk to someone, you can always talk to me." 

Dinah looked up at her old friend. "That's what I'm doing, isn't it?"

They both kept eating, but didn't say much more. Afterwards, they parted ways, and Dinah walked around the city a little. It was a busy place, pretty clean in spite of the active criminal presence. Then, of course, Metropolis was know for its supervillains and white-collar criminals, like Lex Luthor, unlike Gotham or Blüdhaven, or most of the cities where Black Canary had fought crime, where organized crime perpetrated by comparatively ordinary people was more common. And it was the home of Superman.

Black Canary heard a commotion on a side street not far from the entrance to the subway. Several people, a woman and at least two men, were shouting at each other. Then she heard the sharp sound of a slap, and a cracking noise that was almost certainly the result of a landed punch, followed by the woman's scream. She almost turned to investigate it, but realized that she wasn't wearing her costume. She wasn't sure how she'd be received either, since she hadn't kept her apprenticeship of sorts to Lady Shiva a secret.

When she got to her hotel, she went straight up to her room, which was clean, but unremarkable and even a bit ugly, and she collapsed on her bed. It was then that she remembered that she hadn't left Barbara her contact information.

"Damnit, damnit." She stood back up again and yawned. "Jet lag be damned. I've never let this sort of thing keep me down before."

Still, she wasn't eager to use a computer again, so she took a walk first. She wasn't overly familiar with Metropolis, but there are some things any self-respecting tourist needs to see -- like the Daily Planet tower, for instance. Just in case, she wore her old costume, complete with the fishnet stockings, under a an overcoat. Fortunately it wasn't winter, or she'd be cold, Metropolis having a pretty similar climate to Gotham, aside from being a heck of a lot sunnier and less smoggy.

Dinah got a subway ticket and a map, taking the subway to within walking distance of the Daily Planet. She got a few funny looks while in the train, probably because of the spot where her stockings showed between her boots and her coat. It wasn't exactly the time for nightwalkers yet.

She shrugged it off, though, and was glad of the coat when she stepping outside into a brisk breeze. The exit was situated so that a few steps outside there was a great spot to look at the famed Daily Planet tower, which was topped with a ball resembling a ringed planet, though the ring was really made up with the name of the newspaper. It was that newspaper which had first run an article about the appearance of Superman. That had partially contributed to the present fame of Lois Lane -- that and the rumor that she was Superman's girlfriend.

Dinah considered trying to go see Lois, maybe even ask her about the rumors, but discarded the idea almost immediately. With no further goals in mind for the moment, she wandered around. Maybe later she could check out Centennial Park or something. There was supposed to be a nice statue of Superman there.

It was weird to have nothing to do. It wasn't something that had happened to her very often since her childhood, which was at least seventeen years ago -- she wasn't telling how many times she'd celebrated her twenty-ninth birthday. Since then she'd always been fighting crime, or training, or something. Weird. She didn't know what to do with herself, and frankly, she was getting pretty bored.

She didn't pay much attention to the shadow that moved over her until it got closer. She spun around, seeing it as a flash of blue and red until it touched down. Oh. It was Superman.

"Uh, hey. Superman."

"Black Canary. I thought it was you." He stood in front of her, ever so solid and imposing, with his arms crossed on his muscular chest. He was giving her a hard look -- not quite suspicious, but serious and not quite friendly. It didn't suit him. "I heard you were training with Lady Shiva. Why are you in Metropolis? Did Lady Shiva send you?"

Even though Lady Shiva wasn't quite villainous -- Black Canary trusted her a lot further than she would have Cheshire, for instance, or Poison Ivy -- she wasn't quite on the right side of the law either. Black Canary couldn't blame Superman for not wanting Lady Shiva's protégée in his city.

Personally, on the other hand, Dinah was a little bit hurt. They'd worked together in the Justice League. He knew her.

"Yes," said Black Canary. "Lady Shiva sent me to deliver a package to an old friend. An old friend of mine, not of hers."

Superman didn't ask who. "How long are you staying?"

"About a week, I think. I won't make trouble, I promise."

"Good," said Superman. Then: "I'm sorry, I just didn't know how much you'd changed. I had to be sure."

"I understand," sighed Black Canary. "Look, I'm heading over to Centennial Park now." She gestured vaguely in the direction of the subway.

"I have to get back to work."

"Good luck, big guy!" called Black Canary as Superman flew off.

* * *

Dinah got off of the subway again near Centennial Park. She walked to the park, enjoying the fact that the area wasn't crowded -- it was, after all, a weekday. When she got there, she walked among the trees and admired the large, golden statues of Superman and Superboy. Superman's statue holds a golden bird on its arm -- probably an eagle, for the patriotic symbolism, but Black Canary was never a particular expert on birds, in spite of her codename. The two statues were ostentatiously large. It would be obnoxious if they were statues of anyone else, but you can't really badmouth Superman, unless you're evil.

Dinah's cell phone went off, startling her out of her reverie. Who could it be? She hadn't even been sure it would work in the States. When she pulled it out, it didn't tell her much. The number had been blocked. Still, she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Black Canary. It's Oracle."

She should have known. Trust Oracle to find out anything. Anything at all.

"What's up?"

"I got the box open," said Oracle, taking her time.

"Yeah? That was quick. So... what's in it?"

"I think you should see for yourself. Where are you?"

They arranged to meet in the park. This left Black Canary with a little time to kill, so she took another stroll. By the time she got back to the street on one side of the park, where she'd agreed to meet Oracle, Oracle, was already there. They exchanged greetings, and Oracle was about to hand Black Canary the box when a boxing glove shot out of the bushes behind her, hitting her in the side of the face. She slumped forward. The box dropped out of her hands, landing half-open with a clatter on the ground.

Black Canary raised her fists, but before she could do anything, a red-gloved, black-sleeved arm reached out of the bushes and around her friend's neck. Another arm, this one black-gloved and red-sleeved, followed it, holding a gun to Barbara's head. A high, nasal voice spoke:

"You even think about moving and you girlfriend gets it, capiche?" a giggle. "I love saying that."

A mocking male voice added, "You know where to find us. Or maybe you don't. Regardless, you'd better figure it out. Ta ta, blackbird!" A purple-gloved hand tipped a matching top hat out of the bush, then was gone. The woman dragged Barbara off and a moment later, Black Canary heard a rumbling engine. They were gone.

Black Canary pushed her way through the bushes. On the other side, she saw the skid marks of a smallish car, but they ended quickly. She kept running in that direction, but when she reached a busy street, she knew she'd missed her chance to follow them. She returned to the scene of the abduction.

Black Canary was livid. "Urg!" She punched a tree. Bad idea. With the hand that wasn't throbbing, she picked up the box. It was empty, but the inside was marked with a black songbird, burnt into the wood. It could, possibly, have been a canary.


	2. Reliving Memories

"What's wrong?" asked Superman.

"The Joker's in town. And Harley. They got Barbara."

"I'll see if I can find them." He flew off, and was back a minute later. "Either they're not here, or they're somewhere I can't see."

"Figures," said Black Canary, "Every criminal with half a brain probably has a lead-lined hideout by now."

"Any clues?"

"He said I'd know where to find them. Then he said maybe I wouldn't, and dared me to figure it out."

"Well," said Superman, "He wants you to find him. Do you know any of his old hideouts?"

"Some, mostly condemned buildings and such. But they're all in Gotham. Wait. He's kidnapped her before. She doesn't talk about it much, but he took her to that old amusement park."

"I know the one." said Superman, pausing. "I'll take you there."

He scooped her up casually, as though she weighed no more than a feather, and in a flash they were off, zooming up into the sky. It wasn't the first time Superman had taken Black Canary flying, and like that first time, they were trying to help Barbara. Maybe the woman just had bad luck. Or maybe you had to have a charmed life to make it as a superhero.

It was a pity Dinah wasn't in a better mood, or she would have really enjoyed flying, the air whooshing around her at terrific speeds, the ground far below. It would have been terrifying -- but this was Superman. How much safer can you get?

They landed in the amusement park. It was past dusk, but still not entirely night yet, and most of the lights were out. Superman set Black Canary down gently, with a smoothness born of confidence and long experience.

"Do you want my help, or...?"

Black Canary knew that if Superman helped, she wouldn't have much to do. Still, with the safety of her best friend on the line, she was tempted to accept. More than a little tempted. But she didn't get a chance to make that choice, because Superman was cocking his head to listen to something she couldn't hear.

"I'm sorry, I've got to go." He dropped a small item into Black Canary's hands. She reflexively caught it, seeing a flash of metal as it fell. "Press the red button if you need me." And he flew away.

She inspected it. It was one of his trademark signal watches, with his emblem on the face. There was a little red button opposite the adjustment knob. She put in on over her left glove. Its red band stood out against the black and yellow.

She ran further into the amusement park. It took a her a second to figure out which way to go, but soon she was headed for the fun house. As she ran, she caught a glimpse of a green light out of the corner of her eye. She stopped to look at it. It was a little light on a surveillance camera. The Joker was watching. She gave him the finger and ran on.

* * *

Meanwhile, Oracle was coming to. She groaned and mumbled something, then opened her eyes to see -- mirrors. Everywhere. She shifted her body, felt that she was tied to a chair, and pretty securely. It wasn't her wheelchair. She couldn't see where it was. As her eyes cleared, she saw a television in front of her, sitting on the floor. On the screen was Black Canary. She was running hard, and behind her was a very familiar place, the amusement park where --

A laugh sounded behind her, high and mocking. it was the Joker. He came into view, wearing his trademark purple suit. Her heart started beating faster and her breath came in gasps. This must be the fun house where he'd fought Batman. While she was lying, paralyzed, not too far away. If she let herself think of it, she'd play the whole scene out in her mind, clear as the day it happened. How she answered the door, innocent as could be, not even dressed as Batgirl, and there was the Joker. With a gun. Which he proceeded to shoot her with. She'd seen it hundreds of times, felt it hundreds of times. What would he do to her this time? Could he possibly know she was Oracle? She shivered. She wanted to throw up, but she couldn't let herself.

Black Canary had found her way to the fun house. She slowed down, but only a bit, looking this way and that for some clue to the Joker's whereabouts. A piece of the floor jogged loose, tripping her up, and a boxing glove on a spring came out at an angle from behind one of the mirrors. Black Canary saw it, just in time, stepping aside. Then a cloud of some sort of gas sprayed out of it.

"Laughing gas?"

"No, no," said the Joker, patting Oracle on the shoulder. She flinched, revolted by his touch, then recovered her self-control. _I can't let him get to me. I have to find a way out._ "I wouldn't hurt the little bird."

"Yeah, right." Not the wittiest comeback, but oh well. "What are you really after, Joker?"

"Oh, I just wanted to play with someone new." He fondled Barbara's shoulder. "You know Bats, always so serious. Can't take a joke to save his life." He threw his head back and laughed.

* * *

Black Canary coughed and hacked. Her eyes watered, but soon the gas cleared. It had only been smoke. She pushed on, more slowly this time, watching out for traps, in case some might be more deadly than the first. Sure enough, she found herself dodging darts, exploding flowers and acid sprays. She finally got to an open space in the middle of the building, little the worse for wear. She could see someone tied to a chair in the middle of the room, someone whose red hair spilled over the back of the chair. She couldn't see the Joker or Harley anywhere, which put her on her guard. She approached the person on the chair, whose back was turned to her, and she must have tripped another switch, because smoke spilled out in much greater quantities than before. She coughed several times, her eyes watering and her head spinning. Her last sight before she passed out was of Harley Quinn, who was wearing a gas mask, throwing aside the red wig and standing over her with her boxing glove gun.

* * *

Oracle turned to the Joker.

"Where are we?"

"Fooled you, did I? A great magician never reveals his tricks."

"I thought you were a comedian."

"That's true. I do get mixed up sometimes." For a moment his face lost its grin as he looked up at the ceiling. "The point is, I am an artist." And he bowed, with one hand across his stomach.

Oracle didn't dignify that with a response.

* * *

 A few minutes later, Oracle heard a clattering outside. Then Harley's voice rang out, cheerful and obnoxious as ever.

"Mister J, could you help me with this girl? She's really heavy."

The Joker ran one hand down his face, stretching it downward for a moment. Then he started to walk towards one of the mirrors. Before he went out of sight, he turned around to say,

"I'll only be a minute!"

With a little wave, he disappeared. Oracle heard huffing and puffing noises, then a few clatters, and soon Harley and the Joker were hauling Black Canary, handcuffed to another chair, up to Barbara. They put the two women close together, though not quite close enough to touch. Black Canary didn't look any the worse for wear, to Barbara's relief, but this made the problem of escape a bit more tricky. When, a few moments later, Dinah began to stir, Barbara was relieved.

Oracle engaged the Joker in conversation, so that he wouldn't notice that Black Canary was getting out the lockpicks hidden in her gloves and unlocking her handcuffs, activating Superman's watch at the same time. Black Canary then tossed the lockpicks to Oracle, attracting the Joker's attention. Seeing that her hands were free, he backed off, but she opened up her mouth and used her Canary Cry, flinging him back against a mirror, which shattered. Harley was also caught in the blast. Oracle tossed her the lockpicks and she stooped to free her feet, but she wasn't fast enough. Harley recovered enough to come up behind her and give her a good whack on the back of her head. She slumped into Oracle's lap as Oracle grinned and took out Harley in one punch.

That was the scene Superman saw when he burst through the ceiling a moment later -- Harley lying on the floor, the Joker collapsed against a broken mirror, and Dinah slumped on Barbara's lap.

Superman raised an eyebrow. "Been having fun, girls?" He gestured at the prone villains. "I heard you needed my help."

"What?" said Barbara. “Oh, I see you gave Black Canary one your famous watches. Thanks. You could find my wheelchair. Maybe even get us out of here." She offered Superman the handcuffs that had held her and he attached the two villains to a pole.

"No problem, Miss Gordon." He glanced at Barbara's bruised knuckles. "So some of this is your doing, then? Never underestimate a woman from Gotham."

“Damn straight.” 

* * *

The next day, having patched themselves up, the two women met at an Italian restaurant, a hole-in-the-wall neighborhood place, with all the atmosphere of an aging diner. Black Canary brought the box.

"What do you suppose it means?" she asked, digging up a forkful of noodles. She blew on them.

"I think it means," says Barbara, and then she hesitated. "I think it means she wants you to stay with me."

"Huh?" said Dinah, the fork halfway to her mouth. The noodles it was holding dropped down onto the plate. "Damn." She concentrated on retrieving them, and took a moment to chew before she continued. "I mean, why would she do that?"

"I can only speculate," said Oracle.

"Then speculate!"

"Maybe she figured you weren't going to learn any more from her. Or maybe she just felt you would be happier here. . . with me." Barbara grabbed Black Canary's hand across the table, and looked into her eyes. "What do you think?"

"Well, I think, that if she thinks I'd be happier here with you, then she'd probably right. For once." She squeezed Barbara's hand. "Besides, you can't get this good of Italian food in 'Nam."

Barbara laughed. "I should have known... Dinah Laurel Lance, the eternal hedonist. If you try to leave again, I'll bribe you with shrimp."

"If you make that prawns, good prawns, you'll probably succeed."

"It's good to have you back, Dinah."

"It's good to be back."


End file.
